ComplaintsforAdvantage Rent A Car
Need to file a complaint?
BBB is here to help. We'll guide you through the process.
Complaint Details
Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. See details.
Initial Complaint
03/11/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
This company quoted me a weekly rental at ***************** on March 4, 2024 for $268.20 (the original quote was $168 when I made the reservation through AutoSlash.com), but when I returned the car on March 8, 2024 they charged me $362.40 claiming the rates had become daily rate instead because I returned the car 1.5 hour early. This is a classic ************* practice where they quoted me a weekly rate then switched to the daily rate when I returned the car, so I'd like to file this complaint and please don't let such companies get away with ripping off their customers like that!Initial Complaint
03/07/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
We rented a vehicle from Advantage Rent a Car ******* and three weeks after returning the pristine vehicle, we received a bill for $1500 for a damaged windshield!Initial Complaint
02/22/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
This company has charged me a $500.00 USD smoking fee on the basis of someone else's sense of smell. I have conducted buisness with this company several times before and was never charged a smoking fee. I am not a smoker. My wife is not a smoker. I have disputed charges with my CC company and have also tried multiple times to speak to someone regarding this issue. Unsuccessful, has been the efforts, from lack of Advantage Rent a car buisness which is located in ******* *******, responding or reaching out to me about this issue. After speaking to a customer service representative numerous times and different days/weeks. The management team at this location refuse to speak to me whether over the phone and/or I have yet to receive any emails regarding this matter. "This fee of $500.00 USD for smoking has been said to be nonrefundable". This is the response I receive every time I spoke/speak to a ***. How can a company charge a consumer on the basis of verbal allogations without any evidence or proof of what is being alleged against the consumer? I am not a smoker and neither is my wife. From all the times we have rented a car with this company as you can clearly see in the documents provided, there has not been any incidents of a $500.00 USD SMOKING FEE. Futhermore there is noone I can speak to in a cooperate office because they have stated numerous of times they are not going to reverse the decision made and also there is nothing that cooperate can do about this issue. I have asked to speak to someone of higher authority and the *** has admitted that only the manager from the branch location is able to assist. Advantage Car Rental needs to mediate this concern and take responsibility for the FALSE ACCUSATIONS and DISCRIMINATION made against myself and my wife. They need to rectify this issue with an apology. A refund/reimbursement must be made.Initial Complaint
02/13/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
I was charged for 2 additional days of car rental for returning the car back 1 1/2 hours earlier. I was told to make sure I returned the car before designated time or I will be charged a extra day. I made the clerk aware that I will return the car back earlier because my flight was a 6:47pm. Now I'm being told I was charged for 2 days because I returned it too early. I have never heard of this.Initial Complaint
02/12/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Customer Service Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
Did not manage inventory properly so did not honor my reservation for a full size car. Forced me to pay $20/day for upgrade fee or they would cancel my reservation and leave me stranded. Gave me a rental car with the gas tank on empty and then charged me $73 for gas. Will not issue refund.Initial Complaint
02/11/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
This business is claiming there was smoking in a rental vehicle and charged me a $500 smoking fee when I do not even smoke! I read very many reviews of this exact location committing this fraud against its customers and is absolutely ridiculous!Initial Complaint
02/08/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
The agent assured me that the $250 deposit would be released when I dropped off the car. I dropped of the car on January 28th and they are claiming that the system that releases the deposits is broken, so I now have to wait 30 days for the pending charge to fall off before the funds are available to me.Initial Complaint
02/04/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Sales and Advertising Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
We rented a car from Advantage from 1/31/04-2/4/24 through Expedia. The total price was supposed to be $95.37, which "includes all mandatory taxes and fees." When picked up the car, the Advantage representative failed to be transparent in additional charges, provided false information, and overcharged us. We are disputing one major problem and two minor ones. The Advantage representative rushed through the pickup process and clicked through screens on the contract, so we were not aware of the full charges until we had access to the internet and found it in the Junk mail. She told us that the company had to charge a $250.00 deposit. When we saw the $358.83 total during the pickup process, we thought it included the car rental plus the deposit and any additional minor fees. However, we ultimately realized they had charged us a separate $250.Once we had internet access and could read the email message, we saw the major extra charge of car insurance ("loss damage waiver"). This was $149.95, which was $29.99 per day. The Advantage representative told us we needed insurance, and we told her that we had our own car insurance that covered rentals, and we had used ***************** Yet, we were charged $149.99. One of the two minor extra changes was for roadside assistance, which was $1.99 per day or $9.99 total. The Advantage representative never asked if we wanted roadside assistance. We have AAA, so if she had asked, we would not have accepted it. Finally, she was adamant that we needed to prepay for daily tolls. She said it would be for $11 for five days, which would've been $55 total; however, they charged $64.99, which is $9.99 more. (In addition, once we were driving in ******* -- essentially from Advantage to ********* we realized that we didn't need to prepay for tolls.) We are requesting a refund of $169.97, which includes $149.95 for the insurance, $9.99 for the roadside assistance, and $9.99 for the overcharge on tolls.Initial Complaint
01/31/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
On Jan 14,2024 , I made a reservation online through Priceline to rent a vehicle for 3 days from Advantage Rental Car in ***************** . I added a collision coverage for ***** for 3 days in my reservation. When i arrive at the Advantage Rental in ********* , I informed the rental agent that i have a reservation through Priceline with Advantage rental . He acknowledge the reservation and proceeded to Print out my paperwork for me to sign. The Agent never Suggest or recommend any additional Collision coverage and never went over the charges with me . He just told me to sign the agreement as if the reservation information is same in the agreement . When i returned the car on the 18th , I ask the check in Attendant where should i go to finalized the paperwork . The attendant told me there is no need and just leave the keys in the car and go catch the Shuttle to the airport . When i received the bill on my email , I notice the collision coverage charge was $44.97 instead of $***** , I called the Advantage branch and ask why the charges is different from my online reservation . The agent told me that i purchase a additional collision coverage on top of the collision coverage i added on my reservation through Priceline for $***** . I request to speak to the branch manager and was declined . The agent told me i will be charged . That when i new i got double dip charges by the agent that wrote up the agreement in which he should have known that i already had added collision coverage for $***** on the reservation .The agent was dishonest and still applied a fraudulent charges without letting me know . When i annualized this hold situation from picking up the vehicle and the quick check in return process by preventing me to finalizing the bill on site . This must be a common event that happens at this branch because of employee incentive . . My reason for this dispute is to hopefully preventing this kind of fraudulent charges to future consumers . Thank you for you help .Initial Complaint
01/18/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
I originally reserved a rental car with Advantage Rent-A-Car for October 25th - 30th on Priceline for the amount of $180.13, which was the price after I declined any additional insurance. The breakdown of expected fees in the screenshot that is uploaded clearly aligns with the final invoice I was given, less the insurance charge which acts as evidence that I was provided insurance I never asked for at the time I upgraded to a larger car. I was asked if I wanted to upgrade to a larger car on the day I was picking up the rental, to which I replied very specifically that I would like to have the larger car but do not want anything else added that was not part of my original reservation. Even after I explicitly stated this, and again said I do not want anything additional when the representative asked me about the insurance a second time, they still charged me for insurance. I wasn't notified of this charge earlier than finding it on my card statement because the representative incorrectly wrote down my e-mail address so I was never provided the invoice to begin with. It was not until I called and they identified the e-mail mistake that they then sent me the invoice. I tried to resolve my issue with customer service, but they repeatedly told me that I signed a contract and there is nothing they can do to help me. They did not even care to try and look into the situation and how I was wronged, they just wrote me off due to it being a "contract" even though I would not have signed if they had been transparent in the charges with me. I asked to escalate the issue and they told me they would notify the location manager and she would call. The manager never called, simply wrote me a short e-mail with the same dismissive approach. I replied and stated my case clearly as well as asked for an actual phone call, but they refused to communicate with me after that. I need help ensuring that this charge is reversed and the practices of this business are scrutinized.
*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩
BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business.
Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of BBB Rating
Contact Information
Customer Complaints Summary
84 total complaints in the last 3 years.
37 complaints closed in the last 12 months.